1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method of controlling a character in a video game and a game device which is capable of executing the method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Nowadays, video game devices are rapidly distributed to many consumers, particularly families. There is a wide variety of games, such as a role-playing game, a simulation game, a combat game, a puzzle game, and the like. Also there are many media, each of which includes a software program that can execute one of these games, are available in store.
Also, there are many types of video game devices to execute the software programs. For example, a home video game device can display images of a game by using a home television monitor. Further, a personal computer or a workstation can also display these images on a CRT display connected thereto. In addition to the devices, there are also game devices in an amusement arcade, each of which includes a display device in its body.
Some games visually represent animated images by successively changing a plurality of different two-dimensional images with time. On the other hand, other games display a virtual three-dimensional space (in other words, a pseudo three-dimensional space) by representing an object with its depth and changing contents of the image, according to a point of view of a main character of the games.
Many of the above mentioned games are combat games. Among them, a sword-play game is popular in which a user (game player) manipulates a main character to defeat ninjas or swordsmen (enemy character), appearing one after another in front of the main character, by using a weapon, such as a sword, and to reach his destination.
In such a game, the pseudo three-dimensional images are often used to represent actions of characters, or the background in more real expressions, and to give the player the feeling of enjoying a live performance.
However, in a popular game, namely a sword-play game, no change is acceptable in the main character manipulated by the player in his fight against the enemy characters (controlled by the other game player). In other words, provision is made for the case where enemy characters fight each other.
For example, if the enemy characters fight each other in a predetermined condition, the main character can defeat the enemies without any effort or can run away from a place where he encounters the enemy. This may result in a decrease of chances of manipulating the main character to fight against the enemy characters and may dampen or lose the player""s interest. But, on the other hand, new stories or situations are added to the game, the player may be more interested in the game when a fight among the enemies arises.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a character control method and device which make enemy characters take various actions, in various manners, and in a predetermined condition.
It is another object of the invention to provide a character control method and device which can not determine in the predetermined condition whether the character encountered is an enemy or not.
According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of controlling fight between a main character, as manipulated by a user, and enemy characters that are programmed to attack the main character in a video game. The method comprises the steps of receiving instructions from the user, and controlling one of the enemy characters to attack other enemy characters in response to a predetermined instruction from the user.
According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of controlling fight between a main character manipulated by a user and enemy characters programmed to attack the main character in a video game. The method comprises the steps of preparing enemy flags, each of which corresponds to a character in the video game and shows whether the corresponding character is an enemy or not for the enemy characters other than the corresponding character, determining a first enemy character as an attack object of the other enemy characters if the first enemy character has an enemy flag showing that the first enemy character is an enemy, and changing a value of the enemy flag of the first enemy character from a value showing that the first enemy character is not an enemy to a value showing that the first enemy character is an enemy, when the user issues a predetermined instruction.
According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a video game device which is capable of controlling fight between a main character manipulated by a user and enemy characters programmed to attack the main character in a video game. The video game device comprises a character control table which includes an enemy flag for each character, the flag showing whether the corresponding character is an enemy or not for the enemy characters other than the corresponding character, an attack objects determining device which determines a character having an enemy flag showing that the character is an enemy, as an attack object of the enemy characters other than the character, and an enemy flag changing device which changes a value of the enemy flag of an enemy character from a value showing that the enemy character is not an enemy to a value showing that the enemy character is an enemy, when the user make a predetermined instruction.
According to a fourth aspect of the invention, there is provided a recording medium readable by a computer, tangibly embodying a program of controlling fight between a main character manipulated by a user and enemy characters programmed to attack the main character in a video game. The program comprises the steps of receiving instructions from the user, and controlling one of the enemy characters to attack other enemy characters in response to a predetermined instruction from the user.
According to a fifth aspect of the invention, there is provided a recording medium used in a video game device including a CPU and readable by the CPU, the recording medium including enemy flags each of which corresponds to a character and shows whether the corresponding character is an enemy or not for the enemy characters other than the corresponding character.